Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-10-04
ST. LOUIS ENTHUSED.
THE BEAUTIFUL WESTERN CITY AGL0W
WITH PATRIOTIC PRIDE
Sixty Thousand Persons Greet the President
Great Meeting at the Echangs-ROyal Re-
csp6On to the Nations Chisf-Ths People
on Fire with Enthusiasm.

ST. LOUIS, October 3.-TIll this morn
ing the President has been the guest of
Mayor Francis, but to-day and tomorrow
he belongs to our people. Fairer weather
could not be asked. The skies are clear
aud the gentle north winds are sufficiently
cool to make light otercoats desirable,
The streets, cleaned by last nights shower,
are free from dust. Everywhere along the
line of the Presidents ride to the fair
ground, sidewalks are crowded to the ut
most capacity. The Presidents carriage,
drawn by q quartettee of richly capari-
soned, housekeeping, black horses, and
followed by five other carriages, provided
for his travelling companions and the local
committee in charge, reached the Francis
mansion, in Vandeventer place, a few min
utes before 10 O'Clock.
At l0:l5 the President and Mrs. Cleve-
land appeared at the door of the mansion,
and were applauded by the crowd of ladies
and children that had gathered in the park,
in front Of the residence. There was q
noticeable absence OF men, and the dresses
of the people indicated the prepOnderance
of the better class 8 Major G. Z. Rain
water entered the carriage with the Presi-
dent and wife and in a few minutes they
were moving briskly toward the fair
grounds, escorted by q squad of mounted
police and the Citizens Committee in car
riaUes Hundreds of vehicles
CROWDED WITH PEOPLE
awaited on Grand avenue at the entrance
of Vandeventer Place, and Joined the pro-
cession, which was strung out along the
avenue for more than a mile. There was
no noise whatever along the route except
tho clatter OF horses hOofs and the tramp
ofthOusands OF feet upon the beaten walks.
No mishaps or incident occurred to mar the
pleasure of the morning drive and at 10:45
the party arrived at the gate of the fair
grounds.
The drive to the fair ground was made at
a trot. 1t was childrens' day, and the
youngsters were out in full force. They,
with mothers, nurses and friends, packed
the seats of the amphitheatre and surround
ing promenade to the number of 60, 900. A
brass band in the pagoda in the centre at
tempted to make itself heard, but the shrill
voiced congregation made everything but
the base drum nOiseless. The visitors did
not alight After driving round the amphi
theatre track halt was made, and Mrs.
Cleveland was presented by the lady super
intendent of the kinder garten schools with
a handsome basket of flowers
The children, led by the bands sang
Hail Columbia, and the cortege, after
drive through the iair grounds, made its
way back TO the city, when they went di-
rectly TO the Merchants Exchange.
Mrs. Cleveland did not accompany the
President to the Exchange, but was lett
en- route at the residence of the Mayor,
whence she went to that of Mrs. Scanlans,
one of the society leaders, where the ladies
of St Louis had an Opportunitg to pay
their respects. On arriving ut the Mer-
chants Exchange the President was taken
10 the directors room, where large num-
Der of representative citizens from the in
terror of the State were introduced to him
by counties. When this ceremony was
over the President was escorted to the
main hall of the Exchange.
The immense room, which is 225 feet
long and $50 wide, was jammed to the
utmost capacity with people and the Presi
dent had difficulty in getting from the re-
ceptiOn room to the platform. On the Grst
appearance of the President
LOUD CHEERS WENT UP
from the entire multitude, aud as he as
cended the p!attorm, the enthusiasm was
intense. Mr.. Frank Cayenne, President
of the Merchants Exchange, introduced
Mayor Francis and declared this the most
auspiciOus day of ST. LOuiS within her
history. Mayor Francis then welcomed
the President to the city and State, and
after another explosion of cheers the
President responded as follows:
"If am expected to make an extended
speech, on this occasion, ! am afraid that
| shall disappOint you, and this | should
be sorry to do, after having succeeded at
last, through much -ribulatiOnS in stand
ing iace to face within st. Louis friends,
the tribulation of which | speak has
arisen from the extreme kindness of vast
number of the American people, and the
cordial invitations they have rendered me
| TO stop and see them on my way tOyOu.
"Your city was the objective point of
my travel in this direction. but it has
sometimes seemed to me that every town
between Washington and here has been
| represented ~ being directly on my route,
aud it has been hard to convince their
kind and enthusiastic citizens that il would
not be entirely easy within the time at my
disposal to pay them visit. My own in
clinati0u leading me in the direction of
their desires, it has been a difficult mat
ter to
RESIST THEIR IMPORTUNITIES,
but | have made up my mind that the
people of ST. Louis are to blame for the
entire perplexity and disappointment
| which this has caused, for it was through
them that was induced to leave home at
all.
II expect that anything might say con-
ceruing your State or city in the way of
| laudatiOn or congratulation would hardly
equal your own estimate OF the subjects.
| | believe there was time when st. Louis
was determined and jealous rival OF Chi
CagO. don't know whether this condi-
tiOu continues or not; but | hope it does.
While you can hardly expect lOOkers-On
to take sides in such a contest, we are in
terested to the extent that such a struggle
adds to the growth and improvement of
the country at large. Both of these cities
exemplify in a wonderful degree how
completely and how speedily American
energy and business ingenuity utilize every
available element Of municipal growth, and
how every useful type of the worlds pop
ulation is aSsimilated to the grand purpose
of American expansion. / am here
reminded of what | suppose 10
be the fact, that more than
one-half your voters are of foreign birth
and parentage. The growth and increase
of your city in every way indicate, l
think, that the condition OF your popula-
ton thus made apparent is by no means
to be deprecated, and my observation
during long residence in a city similarly
situated has led me TO know the value to
any community of the industrious, frugal
and thrifty men and women who come
from foreign lands to find new homes with